Bleach: Reborn — Chapter 104 - Cooperation Reached — Words Unspoken

"So the fusion process does have its flaws," Timd continued. "Unknown upper limit. Unknown capabilities. Unknown maximum number of abilities that can be fused. I'd wager you've had your share of failures during testing, haven't you? In fact, every modification hits a wall at a certain stage and collapses. Am I wrong?"

Szayelaporro said nothing. He'd been read perfectly. The research was incomplete, of course, no one shows off their finest work to an outsider at first glance. That was precisely why he'd offered up this experiment, one of little practical use to him, to offset the Reiatsu detection radar from earlier.

"Have you ever tried fusing Hollow beasts with compatible ability affinities?" Wayne interjected at just the right moment.

"Hm?" Szayelaporro tilted his head. All this time, he'd been fixated on cramming multiple powerful abilities into a single Hollow beast. The idea of fusing beasts with similar abilities together had never crossed his mind. It came down to his arrogance as a scientist, ambitious scientists were the ones who made history, after all.

"But if you merged beasts with similar abilities, you might be able to strengthen a single ability over and over," Wayne went on.

"Think about it. One beast controls water, another controls fire — two completely incompatible elements. How would you even fuse them? But water and ice? Those could integrate seamlessly. Then take it further — fuse mist, liquefaction, aqueous states, all abilities with the same affinity. Wouldn't the resulting beast's water-type ability grow stronger and stronger? Same logic applies to strength, fortification, explosive power, defense — fuse them together, and wouldn't you create an unstoppable Hollow beast? Of course, I still can't solve the issues of Reiatsu capacity and consciousness. Your fusion process relies on your own ability, after all."

"Hm. That has merit." Szayelaporro grew thoughtful. He moved to the experiment table and began sorting through every recorded Hollow beast. Lower-tier beasts made up the bulk, followed by low-stage and mid-stage Adjuchas. But at the very end of the files, Wayne spotted a classification for Vasto Lorde-level beasts. Only eight of them, presumably the eight Vasto Lorde-class Menos stationed here. Szayelaporro showed no intention of using them as test subjects. Vasto Lorde-class Menos in Hueco Mundo were truly a finite resource, kill one, and there was one less forever.

Wayne and Timd waited off to the side. Disturbing a mid-stage Vasto Lorde at work was not something Wayne was keen to do, even if he could run. Instead, the two of them offered Szayelaporro a steady stream of suggestions on ability classification and proposed theories about ability hierarchies.

Szayelaporro found this immensely useful. Perhaps he hadn't been blessed by the master of the Hollow world, he lacked any real understanding of laws, and his grasp of abilities fell somewhat short of Wayne's. As a mad alchemist, he far preferred creation over classification.

With the aid of Reishi instruments, it took roughly half a day to classify over a hundred thousand Hollow beasts. Adjuchas-class accounted for over thirty thousand; the rest were lower-tier. The ability categories were organized into a tree diagram spanning more than three hundred types. Many shared similar attributes, but at this scale the differentiation was manageable, and acceptable, for Szayelaporro.

"Interesting." He stared at the final tree diagram, itching to begin experiments immediately. But he'd already invested considerable time in this, and Wayne was still waiting nearby. He couldn't afford to neglect a guest, especially one who not only commanded advanced technology but possessed considerable strength. If it came to a fight, Szayelaporro wasn't certain he'd come out ahead.

"Your Reiatsu is intriguing. Stronger than most Vasto Lorde of the same rank I've encountered. It even shows signs of approaching mid-stage." Szayelaporro set down his work and turned to face Wayne.

"I don't mind you analyzing my Reiatsu. Just don't treat me as a test subject." Wayne's tone was flat, unconcerned. As long as his core power wasn't exposed, Szayelaporro's analysis meant nothing. And as for being a test subject...

If Szayelaporro dared, Wayne would make him drop dead on the spot.

"Let's discuss the transaction, Szayelaporro." Wayne found a seat. "Our bargaining chip is my faction's technology. The Reishi radar you saw is just one example — we have far more. And by sharing, I mean mutual access: we learn some of your technology, you learn ours, including the fused Hollow beast modification process. I want three... no, four categories of abilities." He paused, then continued.

"In return, we offer Reiatsu spectral analysis, Hueco Mundo Reiatsu positioning, three-world Reiatsu positioning, directed data transmission, mobile communication, and more. Some of our technology is still incomplete. Mutual exchange and mutual advancement — that's what we'd like to see."

"Heh heh heh. It's been a long time since I've encountered such an interesting Hollow." Szayelaporro sat back in his chair, chin resting on one hand, studying Wayne with open fascination. "Fine. I accept. Mature, complete technologies, one for one. Incomplete ones, we exchange and collaborate." He waved a hand. He didn't care whether others used his research. The only thing that mattered was how many results he could produce.

"Good. The deal is done. Now, the cooperation." Wayne pressed on. "Regarding the absorption of the other two factions, are you interested? We can promise you first access to the ancient Hollow beast for research."

"I'll pass on that. I once secretly studied the ruins Susbus controls. There's only one ancient Hollow beast inside, on the verge of death, with Reiatsu just slightly above a peak-level Vasto Lorde. I didn't manage to measure its ability, but my interest in it is limited. What does interest me are the Hollow beast subordinates of the other two factions." Szayelaporro spread his wings and gave them a shake.

"You want to absorb them?"

"I need a large quantity of test subjects. Nothing more."

"All Adjuchas-class below mid-stage go to you. High-stage and peak Adjuchas split fifty-fifty, you pick first. Vasto Lorde-class split fifty-fifty, we pick first. Susbus is mine. Saros is yours."

"Deal." Szayelaporro's mood lifted considerably. He didn't even bother asking about tactical coordination. He simply assumed that a technology-oriented faction would have sharp enough minds to figure things out on their own.

"We move in three days. The decisive battle will take place at the ancient Hollow beast ruins on Susbus's territory. Find your own moment to appear."

"No problem."

"One more thing. I'm leaving Timd here with you. He's a researcher from my faction and can discuss relevant work with you. I also need him to help me transplant mastery of four ability categories: spatial ability, concealment ability, devouring ability, and water-element ability. If you have it, throw in time ability as well, though that one is rare, even rarer than space. Just do what you can."

"You are greedy." Szayelaporro sounded amused rather than bothered. "These are all massive, powerful ability systems. But they're of little use to me. You can have them."

"Take this communicator. It's still incomplete, but functional." Wayne produced his faction's insignia.

"I'll take my leave here. Timd's strength is minimal, keep your subordinates in check and don't let them bully him. Otherwise, the next researcher you'll be hosting will be yourself." The words didn't quite land as a threat, but they didn't need to. Wayne turned and walked out of Szayelaporro's laboratory.

Szayelaporro watched him go. "Hmph. Truly interesting." He turned back to his desk. "Three days. Good. Little mouse, let's continue studying this modification process together."

"Yes, my lord." Timd bowed slightly. Respect for the strong was the most basic courtesy, one moment's carelessness and you'd lose your head. He was only a clone right now, but dying would still drop his Reiatsu and cut off his ability to share technology. A troublesome outcome either way.

Wayne returned to Baraggan's camp. With Nel there, he could teleport directly. When he arrived, Baraggan was still leading the troops forward. Without disrupting the march, Wayne leaped onto the enlarged Bawabawa's back and consumed the Vasto Lorde-class Menos corpse he'd acquired.

The sealing effect of his innate space had preserved the corpse well, not much Reishi had dissipated. Wayne ate only the Hollow Mask. The rest of the body he divided and gave to Nel. He saved an arm for Bawabawa, the same one the little loach had been grinding its teeth on earlier.

He'd wanted to share some with Harribel as well, but she refused. Wayne let it go. He'd find a water-type ability Hollow beast for her later.

After consuming the mask, the Reiatsu within Wayne's body swelled considerably. Still not approaching mid-stage, but any improvement was welcome. What gratified him most was that after eating the Hollow beast with concealment illusions, he felt his own concealment ability undergo a substantial increase, not in the concealment aspect itself, but in the illusion aspect. A strange, illusory sensation.

Wayne couldn't determine whether his concealment ability had mutated. The usage method remained unchanged, concealment domain, void, and the rest all functioned the same. They simply felt more effortless now. More natural.

Still hadn't reached the intensity of a law, then. But Wayne didn't expect that much. Possessing even one law-type ability was already a stroke of fortune, a probability of nine in a hundred million.

With the mask digested, Wayne sat on Bawabawa's back and began meditating. Several battles had revealed a gap in his combat ability. Compared to group engagements, his one-on-one techniques had considerable shortcomings.

Setting aside his spatial ability, Wayne's own skills, aside from those he'd comprehended at the Adjuchas stage, were practically nonexistent.

His most powerful technique was Zero Storm, an area-of-effect skill for the battlefield. But beyond that, whether it was the Space-Rending Slash and Dimension Slash unleashed with a single sword strike, or the accumulated Shadow Step Dance, none could truly be called a decisive finishing move anymore.

Especially after facing Vasto Lorde-class Menos, Wayne felt these skills growing increasingly lackluster. He found himself relying on his abilities, laws, and Cero with ever greater frequency.

After learning the Black Cero and the Flash of the King Hollow, he used his named skills less and less. Cero had become his default.

This was not a healthy trajectory.

Wayne resolved that after this battle, he would find a way to create a single-target, one-time-use ultimate technique, something capable of producing immense destructive power in an instant. Ideally, he'd also develop a delayed-effect skill along the lines of Harribel's Cascada. That way, his abilities wouldn't have such glaring gaps. Otherwise, situations like being continuously forced back by Kamula might happen again.

He closed his eyes and began shaping the embryonic form of a technique in his mind, circulating the Reiatsu within his body in subtle pulses, sensing the changes in Reishi and testing the technique's feasibility.

The contemplation lasted three days. It wasn't until Nel gently nudged against his side that Wayne finally surfaced from his meditative state.

He opened his eyes to an enormous red rock mountain radiating intense, scorching heat.

At the mountain's base on the far side, Saros had already arrived with his forces. Wayne's side was fully prepared. The two factions didn't exchange pleasantries, this was only a cooperation, after all. Once it ended, who would swallow whom was far from certain.

As a low-stage Vasto Lorde, Wayne was beneath Saros's notice. Saros used Sonído to approach Baraggan instead, exchanging a few words, assigning tasks and putting on a show of flattery. Wayne watched with open disdain. They were going to turn on each other in the end anyway. Every wasted word was a loss.

"Great Emperor, I entrust the rest to you," Saros said, landing beside Baraggan with practiced deference.

"Enough talk. Issue the challenge." Baraggan wasn't about to send his own forces in first.

"Of course." Saros raised a hand, and his five Vasto Lorde-class Menos led several hundred Adjuchas-class up the mountain.

On the other side of the crimson mountain range, an enormous basin sprawled in ancient stillness. Crimson lava ringed its perimeter, radiating dense, searing heat. At the basin's very center, a massive sealing array sat faintly visible upon the red rock.

Behind the array, several hundred Adjuchas-class and nine low-stage Vasto Lorde-class Menos awaited orders. The one issuing those orders sat at the array's center, employing some unknown ability to slowly extract Reiatsu from within it and feed it into himself. Susbus, the one with the spiritual-type ability.

"My lord, I sense Saros's Reiatsu." A Hollow beast resembling an ant landed soundlessly within the array. "There's an unidentified Reiatsu with him as well, also a mid-stage Vasto Lorde."

"Hmph. Found an ally, have they?" Susbus's voice was impossibly soft, almost seductive, the kind of voice that could make a body go weak just hearing it. But now it carried a chill that left the reporting Hollow beast in a cold sweat beneath its mask.

"That's fine..." Susbus rose to his feet. Fox-like pupils glowed faintly beneath his mask. "Since they seek death... let us send them on their way."

➤ Next: The Beast Breaks Its Seal